Samaritan's Purse - Love in a box

Collecting for Christmas 2023
Deadline for submission 10th November

Collections are open for our shoebox appeal for 2023 and will close on 10th November.

Our collection of Shoeboxes waiting to go off - November 2005

Operation Christmas Child is the world's largest children's Christmas project, bringing joy into the lives of underprivileged children since 1990. Shoeboxes are packed with gifts and goodies and sent from the UK to children who need them most in some of the toughest parts of the world, including Haiti. In most cases the shoebox will be the only Christmas present that child will receive.

Our Benefice is again supporting the Shoebox Appeal - it is an excellent way in which we, as Christians, can make a real difference to the lives of very underprivileged children. As we approach Christmas, we give thanks to God for the greatest gift - the gift of His only Son to our world and to us individually. Supporting the Shoebox appeal is a very practical way of giving thanks to God for the gift of unconditional and unending love in Christ, by passing on some of that love to a child who is a lot less fortunate than us.

Please consider supporting the Shoebox Appeal. Information leaflets, containing full details, are to be found at the back of all the churches. Please then pass your completed Shoebox to Jean Coe or to a Churchwarden for passing on to Jean. The deadline for handing in the completed shoeboxes is the 1st November, as they need to be taken to a collection point at the beginning of November.

If you want to know more about Operation Christmas Child then please visit https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child.

If you require details about how to pack the shoebox please visit their How to pack your shoebox page.

If you require information about what to do with your shoebox(s) please contact the Webmaster via the contact link at the foot of the page.

Collecting for Christmas 2022

Collections for our shoebox appeal for 2022 was a total of 56 shoeboxes sent.

Collecting for Christmas 2021

In 2021 we collected and sent 56 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Donations of £55 were also made. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal for the final time this year.

Collecting for Christmas 2020

In 2020 we collected and sent 73 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. In addition to these five online shoeboxes were also sent and donations to the sum of £162 were made. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2019

In 2019 we collected and sent 94 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal these were destined for Eastern Europe. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2018

In 2018 we collected and sent 92 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal these were destined for Eastern Europe. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2017

In 2017 we collected and sent 113 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal these were destined for Eastern Europe. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2016

In 2016 we collected and sent 81 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal these were destined for Eastern Europe. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below. This year the shoeboxes were sent to Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. Postcodes CB6, CB7 and CB8 sent 2,956 of the 882,000 sent from the UK. This represents a ten percent increase from last year.

Collecting for Christmas 2015

In 2015 we collected and sent 68 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal these were destined for Eastern Europe. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2014

In 2014 we collected and sent 71 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. This year the shoeboxes were sent to Kyrgyzstan. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2013

In 2013 we collected and sent 61 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. This year the shoeboxes were sent to Kyrgyzstan and Serbia. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2012

In 2012 we collected and sent 60 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Mrs Jean Coe for organising the appeal. This year the shoeboxes were sent to Kyrgyzstan and Serbia. A break down of the age and gender distribution is shown below.

Collecting for Christmas 2011

In 2011 we collected and sent 55 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Revd Stephen for organising the appeal.

Collecting for Christmas 2010

In 2010 we collected and sent 48 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Michael and Kay for organising the appeal.

Thank You from Kyrgyzstan

In 2010 our shoeboxes were sent to Kyrgyzstan. Imagine not being able to send your children to school just because you cannot afford stationery! For one mother in Kyrgyzstan this was a reality. She had two teenage daughters, but neither of them could attend school because they could not afford pens and paper. But this all changed when the two girls received shoeboxes from Samaritan's Purse, complete with brand new school supplies. The mother was thrilled. "I'm so thankful to the people who did the shoeboxes because now I can send my children to school because they have school supplies, without these they couldn't go to school."

Collecting for Christmas 2009

In 2009 we collected and sent 42 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Michael and Kay for organising the appeal.

Collecting for Christmas 2008

In 2008 we collected and sent 71 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Michael and Kay for organising the appeal.

Collecting for Christmas 2007

In 2007 we collected and sent 77 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. Many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Michael and Kay for organising the appeal.

Collecting for Christmas 2006

In 2006 we collected and sent 101 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. This is a record! So many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Michael and Kay for organising the appeal.

Collecting for Christmas 2005

In 2005 we collected and sent 98 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. So many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Paddy and Ted for organising the appeal.

Collecting for Christmas 2004

In 2004 we collected and sent 95 shoeboxes for the Samaritan's Purse - love in a box appeal. So many thanks to all those who donated their time, money and energy. And a special thanks to Paddy and Ted for organising the appeal as in previous years.

Misson Statement

Children receiving their presents

Meeting critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster while sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Samaritan's Purse is committed to meeting the needs of under-privileged people through the delivery of practical every day items and necessities.

Through Samaritan's Purse, we help people throughout the year by providing practical gifts during times of war, disaster, famine, disease and extreme poverty. You and your family, church, school or organisation have the opportunity to reach out and share God's love with needy people in desperate situations around the world. Practical gifts are distributed to people regardless of their nationality, political or religious background.